Conventional paperboard cartons for packaging milk and juice products are typically formed in a rectangular parallelepiped configuration and provided with gable or flat top constructions. The art has long recognized and sought to develop easy access pour spout constructions to provide ready access to product for consumer convenience. Hot fill and aseptic cartons which are hermetically sealed present a particular need for improved pour spout constructions because of their thicker gauge material specifications and design characteristics.
International Paper Company, the assignee of the present application, has developed low profile plastic pour spout fitments which may be provided in a die cut web for application to carton blanks. Each fitment is configured to form a pour spout upon removal and attachment to a carton blank. Exemplary fitment configurations within the scope of this technology are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,197 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,325 both to Robert L. Gordon and Roderick W. Kalberer.
In the practice of this pour spout technology, it has been found effective to advance a fitment web through a fitment application machine which includes a continuous track, and fitment removal and sealing station. A bench type sealing apparatus including a carton mandrel and horn, and ultrasonic sealing apparatus is employed to apply fitments to carton blanks. In the fitment adhering operation it is necessary to effect precise registration of the fitment with the carton blank.
Web indexing apparatus are known in the prior art, however, the art has not provided apparatus suitable for the precise registration required for application of the pour spout fitments of this invention to cartons. Typical prior art arrangements employ a web which is provided on its edges with indentations. A drive wheel including peripherally spaced sprockets engages the indentations to advance the web. As representative of such art reference may be had to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,158,522 to J. A. Dreher and 2,290,119 to A. F. Pityo.
Another approach of the art is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,199,756 to R. E. Davy which shows an assembly for manufacturing sleeve-type containers. A continuous chain of packages is formed by sealing spaced portions of the sleeve together to define discrete compartments. Sprocket receiving apertures are provided in the sealed portions for engagement with a sprocket wheel which conveys the package chain to a cutting apparatus for severance of packages. Absent from this disclosure is a mechanism for directly interconnecting the package severing and sprocket wheel drive so as to precisely advance the package chain.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus which coacts with a fitment application machine to index a die cut fitment web for registration and sealing of fitments to carton die cut areas. Precise accuracy and tolerances in the range of .+-.0.005 inches are obtained in the invention to effect proper adherence of fitments. The invention advances known indexing apparatus by incorporating a direct and uncomplex mechanical coaction between a web indexing apparatus and fitment adhering mechanism. It will be recognized that such a mechanical arrangement will provide manufacturing efficiencies over known indexing apparatus.
Accordingly, it is a broad object of the invention to provide an improved indexing apparatus which provides accurate registration of die cut fitments in a web to carton blanks.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide an indexing apparatus which coacts with a fitment adhering mechanism to accurately index fitments in a die cut web.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an indexing apparatus which achieves precise mechanical indexing and registration of die cut fitments with carton blanks within a tolerance range of .+-.0.005 inches.